CITY OF FULTON
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 3, 2011
5:30PM

Mayor Russell called the meeting to order and directed the clerk to call the roll.  On roll call Mayor Larry Russell, Alderpersons Charles Dykstra, Gene Field, Margaret Crosthwaite, Dan Nederhoff, Warren Juist, Wes Letcher, Howard Van Zuiden and Randy Boonstra answered present.   Also in attendance were Bill Shirk - City Attorney and Police Officer Jeremy Leitzen.

The pledge of allegiance was recited and the invocation was given by Pastor Tom Merchant of Trinity Reformed Church.  There was no communication from visitors.

Ald. Field moved, seconded by Ald. Letcher to approve the September 19, 2011 regular council meeting minutes.  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

Ald. Dykstra moved, seconded by Ald. Crosthwaite to pass Ordinance No. 1437 Amending the Traffic Schedules in Chapter 71 (adding north and south entrance stop signs to the intersection of 11th Avenue and 4th Street and the intersection of 12th Avenue and 4th Street).  Discussion:  Ald. Field said he was thanked for voting against the stop signs at the previous meeting.  Ald. Boonstra said he had two downtown business owners tell him they were against the four way stops and he thinks we are going to offend a lot of people.  Ald. Juist said the addition of the stop signs will cause more accidents.  Ald. Van Zuiden said he could go for one intersection but not both.  Ald. Crosthwaite traveled 4th Street, stopping at each intersection and it took her less than 2 minutes.  Ald. Nederhoff said he is convinced the four way stops are necessary.  Ald. Letcher said he would be ok with a four way stop at the 11th Avenue and 4th Street intersection only.  Ald. Dykstra chose not to amend his motion.  Roll call vote/Ald. Boonstra, Van Zuiden, Juist and Field voted no/Ald. Letcher, Nederhoff, Crosthwaite and Dykstra vote yes/Mayor Russell vote yes to break the tie/motion carried.

Mayor Russell told the council that a marina ad hoc committee has been formed.  Including the Mayor the members are Pat Pollard, Mike Ottens, Randy Boonstra and Randy Balk.   They have met once and plan to go on Thursday to the Savanna marina, which is operated by a park district.  The committee will report back to the council at the first meeting in November.  The Mayor suggested that if a second ad hoc committee is formed to look at the inside of the marina he would like Ald. Juist to be on it.

Ald. Field moved, seconded by Ald. Van Zuiden to approve the American Legion request to burn discarded flags during a ceremony on November 12, 2011 at 1:00pm on the west side of the former Drives building.   Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

Mayor Russell reported the Sawmill Museum in Lyons (Clinton, IA) is now open and joint promotional activities are being considered by our Tourism group.  Fall Festival was well attended and the Mayor took his wooden shoe carving to Heritage Canyon with the Early American Crafters.  During a storm some dead trees on our bike path fell onto electrical lines, causing a power outage.  The Mayor suggested that the city patrol monthly to keep the dead trees cleaned out on city property around town.  The city was issued citations by the state after the investigation into the accident at the windmill in July, which resulted in a fatality.   There is a Whiteside County Enterprise Zone conference coming up on October 19, 2011.

Old Business.  22nd Avenue Development will be listed until direction is received from the city council.

New Business.  Ald. Juist has a meeting with the Timken people at Drives scheduled for this Wednesday.  He will let Randy know if any information from the meeting will affect the city.

Ald. Van Zuiden moved, seconded by Ald. Letcher to adjourn.  Voice vote/all yes/motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 6:13pm.

Minutes recorded by,

Linda Hollis

City Clerk